"I like him," Mary Ann said excitedly.
"Who?" Hermione asked confused.
"Vincent."
"Yes! Vincent…." she answered and then raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Vincent Crabbe?" she asked.
Mary Ann sighed. "Yes, Vincent Crabbe."
Hermione wanted to laugh, but settled for a smile instead. "You like him then?"
"Yes. He's sweet and muscle-y and a gentleman," she said wistfully.
Hermione and Jenna both rolled their eyes. "Where's Justina?" Hermione asked.
Jenna snorted. "Molesting Marcus. You know she doesn't waste time."
Hermione snickered and glanced at the large man currently wrapped around a very happy Justina. He was whispering something in her ear and she giggled wildly.
Hermione shrugged humorously and returned her focus to Mary Ann. "So what makes Crabbe so…sweet?" Hermione wasn't convinced yet that he was sweet exactly, nice… maybe.
"He asked me things about me and when we danced his hands traveled no lower than the small of my back. He kissed my neck softly and he didn't seem to care that my mother was a Muggle born witch," she finished with a smile.
"Ah ha. Well, that's great, Mary Ann," Hermione encouraged and looked at Crabbe, looking at them. "You should get back. He looks like he wants to eat you," Hermione told Mary Ann.
The smitten girl giggled and squeezed Hermione's arm. "Don't wait up," she told her friends and sauntered back to a happy Crabbe.
Jenna and Hermione watched as he smiled at her and pulled her into his embrace.
They looked at each other and chuckled. "I found a handsome wizard that I plan to make mine, so I'll see you," Jenna said, giving Hermione her man-eater smile.
"Go get 'im tiger!" Hermione replied, smiling.
She stood alone, watching the crowd for a moment when a deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "You look like you need this, more than I do," he said, handing her a glass of clear liquid with a lemon, resting on the rim.
She looked at him with a question in her eyes. "Vodka with a twist of lemon," he replied.
She took the glass. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, love," he said and walked away.
That was strange; she thought and took a drink after she cast a quick purity spell on it to make sure it was actually Vodka with lemon and not some lust potion or worse.
She walked up stairs, back into the VIP room that they were in before, and opened the door.
She turned the corner and paused gracefully when she encountered a room full of wizards.
"Hermione, please come in and meet everyone," Blaise said, standing with the rest of the wizards.
"Oh, Did I interrupt anything?" she asked and walked confidently into the room.
Most of the wizards in the room couldn't string two words together much less answer her… all they could think about were her beautiful, toned, long, smooth legs.
Blaise shook his head and motioned for her to continue.
The wizards sat down as she walked closer to the couches on which they were sitting. The couches were in a square U shape- a long sofa in the middle with a square coffee table in front, one love seat to the left perpendicular to the sofa and on the other side, facing the love seat were two large chairs.
Hermione walked up to a now sitting Blaise on the sofa and bent forward a bit to kiss him on the cheek.
Her dress was already short, but when she bent forward the hem rose slightly in the back, showing more leg and stopping right under her bum.
The two men on the love seat tilted their heads unconsciously angling for a better view of her hidden treasure.
The man whom she was bent over grunted quietly when her leg brushed against his and her scent permeated his nostrils.
When she stood, Blaise took her hand and pulled her gently onto his lap, surprising everyone in the room. He never showed any kind of public affection to any bird… ever.
"Hermione, please let me introduce you…" he gestured to the man sitting next to him (the one that grunted), "Theo Nott." Hermione smiled at the thin man and gave him a piercing stare that told him she remembered their encounter in school.
"Mr. Nott, A pleasure to see you again," she said sweetly.
He tilted his head respectfully, but didn't speak. Blaise watched the exchange, making a mental note to ask her about it later.
He continued his introductions, motioning to the two on the love seat. "Marcus Flint and Adrian Pucey."
Hermione smiled and raised her glass to Marcus. "A pleasure to meet you both. Mr. Flint, thank you for the drink," she said.
Marcus actually stood and took her hand to kiss her knuckles. "The pleasure, Miss Granger, is mine; I assure you," he said and sat down.
"Show off," Pucey jibed at his friend as he also stood to take her hand. "Miss Granger, you are a vision. It's an honor to make your acquaintance."
She swallowed a girlish giggle and tilted her head not trusting herself to speak.
She, of course, in all her giddiness, missed Blaise glaring daggers at his former house mates.
Blaise looked to the chairs and introduced the two men sitting there. "Justin Finch-Fletchly and Gregory Goyle." They tilted their heads in greeting.
Hermione didn't speak to the two men nor did she tilt her head – she only gave them a look in acknowledgment; she never liked either… with vigor. Blaise made another mental note.
"Goyle, Where's Crabbe?" Blaise asked.
"He's busy with some bird the mu…. Miss Granger sent his way," Goyle sneered.
She quirked her eyebrow at his near slip and smiled at Blaise. "I can call off the dogs if you need him here," she said and stood to walk over to the large window in front of them, allowing them the view of the entire floor of the club.
She smiled when she spotted the two… talking of all things. She looked to the other end of the club to see Justina perched on Marcus Talbots lap with his arms wrapped around her; they were snogging like mad. Hermione stifled a snort and it came out a squeak/giggle instead.
She turned to face the curious men with a smile and was about to say something sarcastic, but pulled up short when she realized who they were and where she was and what she was supposed to be doing.
She cleared her throat. "I'll just go get Crabbe. If you'll excuse me," she said and walked quickly to the door.
Once it clicked shut, every one of those wizards stood up quickly and looked around the club to see Crabbe talking with some cute bird and then looked around for Marcus. Flint and Pucey burst out laughing and Blaise and Nott chuckled quietly.
Justin and Goyle only sneered… seemed that was something they were good at.
"Did Hermione send her to Talbot?" Blaise asked.
Adrian nodded. "Yes. She wanted them kept busy while she was off doing something else."
Blaise stiffened. "What else?"
"She didn't do anything, I was watching her most of the time, though, Weasley came and spoke to her." Flint added and watched Blaise for reaction.
The darker wizard turned a quarter. "What happened?"
Flint shrugged. "He was saying something she disagreed with – there are no lies in her face. She backed up against the wall. He laughed once and then walked away. It was brief."
Marcus would ask her about it later. Flint was correct; she would be pants at lying.
Flint and Pucey shared a look and moved to sit back down when they saw Hermione being ogled by Crabbe, who was walking up the stairs behind her.
Blaise saw red and the second that the duo walked in with smiles Blaise raised his wand to Crabbe…
Hermione sensed it immediately and turned in time to see Blaise raise his wand and only got the first two syllables of 'Crucio' out before she stepped in front of Crabbe and took the curse in his stead.
She acted on instinct, not thoughts and consequences.
It hit her hard, but she didn't make a sound, only grabbed onto the wall and bit her lip.
He ended it immediately when what she did sank in. "Hermione!"
She dropped to her knees rather gracelessly and breathed in deeply. She could feel the tears coursing down her cheeks, but could do nothing to stop them.
Crabbe went to pick her up, he couldn't believe she had done that, but Blaise stopped him cold. "DON'T. Touch. Her." Blaise warned and bent to pull her up himself.
Crabbe backed up still eyeing the downed witch with concern.
"Hermione? Hermione? I.. that was meant for…." Blaise didn't know what to say as he pulled her up and set her right.
He didn't need to finish his sentence of course because it ended abruptly with
SLAP!
She slapped him hard and the noise it made echoed, it seemed, in the silent room.
She stood there, in front of a wizard a foot and a half taller than she was with fire in her eyes, labored breathing, and shoulders squared.
They all could see her jaw was clenched and that it was taking every ounce of her will power not to curse the hell out of one Blaise Zabini, Head of the Caperelli Crime Family.
Flint, Pucey and even Goyle wanted to chuckle, but they dared not, Blaise had a temper of his own.
Blaise was still for a moment and the rest of the wizards were in the middle of a relieved sigh when, apparently, the witch in question thought Blaise got off too easy and threw her drink in his face.
They were all about to head for cover when they heard Blaises next words. "I deserved that," he said, wiping the drink from his face.
"You bet your arse you did!" she bit out.
He took a deep –calming- breath and watched her point her wand at him. She cast a cleansing spell and put it away.
He nodded curtly and turned around to face the stunned wizards. "Sit. We have business."
"I would like another drink… mine was spilled," she said petulantly.
Blaise glared, but conceded. "We'll wait, make it quick."
She turned and walked out, making her way to the bar. When she got there, she conjured a pen and wrote on a napkin while she waited for her drink.
She cast a quick spell and it disappeared.
She walked back in with her drink and a brandy for Blaise.
He just watched her sit primly on the love seat next to Pucey (Marcus gave her his seat) and took a sip of the drink she gave him. He liked fiery… he had never wanted a woman as much as he wanted her.
Draco turned around to order another round when he heard a pop right beneath his hand.
It was a rolled up napkin.
He unrolled it and nudged Potter, who nudged Weasley. They read it together.
Adrian Pucey, Marcus Flint, Justin Finch-Fletchly, Theo Nott, Greg Goyle.
"Thanks, 'Mione," Potter said, smiling.
She had her legs crossed and Pucey couldn't concentrate. He kept smelling a soft feminine scent every time she moved and he couldn't focus on anything, but her long legs poised right in front of him.
Marcus was also really trying pay attention, but he couldn't get over the fact that Hermione Granger – one-third of the Golden Trio – Princess of Gryffindor – formerly bushy haired know it all was this fine young woman with legs he longed to have wrapped around his waist.
"FLINT!"
"Yes?" Marcus replied, trying to sound bored, but he knew Blaise wasn't buying it.
"Business?" Blaise asked directly.
"Yes." Sounding bored again, but was at a loss.
Hermione uncrossed her legs and sat forward. "You are responsible from getting shipment from point A to point B safely, securely and smoothly," she informed him.
"Right. So what's the problem?" Marcus asked really trying not to imagine her naked.
"Wizards," she whispered, but it was with humor. "How will you do this? Point A is … here and point B is … Point B," she said not wanting to say anything out loud.
"Eagles," Marcus said, he'd used them before and they worked nicely… as long as you kept them fed.
"Eagles?" she asked.
"Eagles," he repeated annoyed that his fantasy woman was now questioning him.
Pucey snickered.
"You know most Eagles are tagged and tracked and if you want untraceable it will cost you," she said.
"So?" he asked.
"Really? So?... " she huffed a little and stood…she smirked when he took a step back.
She spoke, "why spend the money, using something that may or may not be reliable… especially if they're hungry. Why not use Muggle transport – outside magical jurisdiction," She suggested.
"Muggle transport?" Goyle asked clearly taking a dislike to the option.
"Yes, Muggle. That's the problem with you purebloods; you don't see what's right in front of you. It's safe, easy and not expensive. Why not pocket the money you would spend otherwise for costly birds not entirely reliable," she ended.
"Moody monitors Muggle transport, too," Pucey offered.
"Not as closely and if you do it the way I think you should, it will be quick, easy and end with a little 'fuck you' to Moody from me," she said this last bit with a sneer that had the wizards in the room mirroring her expression.
"I think I love you, Granger. If you get sick of working for Zabini here, you have a place in my heart and my employment," Marcus Flint told her and watched smugly as Blaises expression darkened considerably.
"I bet you wouldn't torture me either, would you, Mr. Flint?" she asked, referring to the 'crucio incident.'
He smirked, "Well not with the Cruciatus, anyway," he said seductively, which had Pucey snickering and Goyle gagging.
The Goyle gagging part had Hermione stiffening and Blaise glaring hard enough to make the big oaf stop.
"Crabbe!" Blaise called.
"Yes, sir."
"Tomorrow you'll meet with Hermione and Flint to work out the details of transport. Think you can handle that?" Blaise asked snidely.
"Yes, sir," he replied stiffly.
"Good. Now go give that bird some attention, she's been watching the stairs for some time now," Blaise teased, looking out the large window and smiling at his employee.
Crabbe smiled for the first time since they'd entered the room. "Yes, sir."
"Granger, come dance with me," Marcus ordered humorously.
"No, she's dancing with me," Pucey said, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb across her knuckles softly.
"I don't think so, gentleman. Blaise has some groveling to do and that means dancing with me," she said, pulling her hand out of Adrians and looking at Blaise with what seemed to him to be unadulterated desire.
"Yes, ma'am," Blaise said and pulled her down the stairs, nodding to the DJ.
Baby, you could go where ever you like
I said you could go where ever you like, yeah
She smiled and threw her hands in the air swinging her hips to the rhythm of T.I. 's Whatever You Like – while she walked to the floor.
Stacks on deck, Patrón on ice
And we can pop bottles all night
Baby, you could have whatever you like
I said, you could have whatever you like
He was right behind her dancing.
They made a handsome couple while she turned in his arms to wiggle her bum into his groin.
His hands rested on her hands as their bodies moved in synchronized rhythm.
Anytime you want to pick up the telephone
You know it ain't nothin' to drop a couple stacks on you
Wanted you could get it my dear
Five million dollar home, drop Bentley's, I swear
Yeah, I want'cho body, I need yo body
Long as you got me you won't need nobody
You want it I got it, go, get it, I buy it
Tell 'em other broke niggas be quiet
He circled his hips with hers and slid his hands up, brushing the sides of her breast while she reached back and looped her arm around his neck, pulling his face down next to hers.
Shawty, you da hottest of the way you drop it
Brain so good
(Good)
School you went to college
Hundred deposit, vacations hit the tropics
'Cause errbody know it ain't trickin' if ya got it
Ya need to never ever gotta go to yo wallet
Long as I got rubber band banks in my pocket
Five six, adds with rims and a pocket kit
Ya ain't gotta downgrade, you can get what I get
He grabbed her hair and pushed her down so she was bent at the waist; him standing/dancing behind her his hand touching her arse and their bodies still moving in rhythm.
Draco, Harry and Ron were staring at her and she knew it. She felt sexy and wanton and free.
She wondered if her friends would hate her, now that she had found this other side of herself.
My chick could have what she want
And goin' every store for any bag she want
And know she ain't never had a man like that
To buy you anything ya own desire I that
Yeah, I want'cho body, I need yo body
Long as you got me you won't need nobody
You want it, I got it, go, get it, I buy it
Tell 'em other broke niggas be quiet
At the last two words, Blaise pulled her up, turned her around to face him and pressed one finger to his lips as if to tell someone to shhhh.
When the song ended, he kissed her softly at first, then he deepened the kiss when her lips parted at his tongues request.
She was so surprised that he kissed her that she gasped. He took this as permission to enter.
She had to admit, this was definitely the sexiest kiss she had ever participated in in her life. This man was seduction and power wrapped in chocolate.
She looped her arms around his neck and he held her tighter.
When they pulled away from each other, she blinked rapidly. Her knickers were wet and she wanted this man to pick her up and carry her away. She wasn't even sure if she still wanted to be an Auror anymore after this.
Blaise inhaled and his nostrils flared slightly. His eyes darkened and he licked his lips. "So sweet, Hermione. My mouth is watering, I want to lick you so bad," he murmured.
He pulled her tighter against him. "Do you want that? For me to lick you until you scream my name?" he squeezed her bum, pressing her tightly against his erection.
She could only moan.